John XXII

Facts

Birth: 1244

Death: 1334

Jacques Dučse of Cahors was born c. 1244. The son of a shoemaker, he studied law and theology before becoming chancellor to Charles II of Naples in 1309. Elevated to a cardinalate three years later, he was elected pope in 1316 and was the second pope to rule from Avignon. An opponent of the Spiritual Franciscans, he issued three bulls condemning their teachings; he also condemned the twenty-eight sentences of Meister Eckhart. John published the decretals of Clement V and forbade the holding of more than one benefice. In 1328, Louis IV asked that John be deposed, a wish that was not fullfilled. Although John said that he wanted to return to Rome, he established the papacy more firmly at Avignon. He preached four sermons in which he denied the beatific vision. Questioned about the orthodoxy of his statements, he maintained that they reflected his personal opinion. John died in 1334.

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86.

Karol J. Wojtyla, known as John Paul II since his October 1978 election to the papacy, was born in Wadowice, a small city 50 kilometres from Cracow, on May 18, 1920. He was the second of ... continue reading

87.

The Leper Priest, the Hero of Molokai. Born in Tremelo, Belgium, on January 3, 1840, he joined the Sacred Hearts Fathers in 1860. He was bom Joseph and received the name Damien in religious ... continue reading

88.

With the lives of so many early martyrs shrouded in legend, we are fortunate to have the record of the courage of Perpetua and Felicity from the hand of Perpetua herself, her teacher ... continue reading

Christians who breathed a sigh of relief when Constantine proclaimed Christianity the state religion, believing this would end the bloodshed and martyrdom. But it was all too short a time until they ... continue reading

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St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr whose feast day is November 25th. She is the patroness of philosophers and preachers. St. Catherine is believed to have been born in Alexandria of a noble family. Converted to Christianity through a vision, she ... continue reading

St. Michael the Archangel - Feast day - September 29th The name Michael signifies "Who is like to God?" and was the warcry of the good angels in the battle fought in heaven against satan and his followers. Holy Scripture describes St. Michael as "one of the chief ... continue reading

The name Gabriel means "man of God," or "God has shown himself mighty." It appears first in the prophesies of Daniel in the Old Testament. The angel announced to Daniel the prophecy of the seventy weeks. His name also occurs in the apocryphal book of Henoch. He was the ... continue reading

Lorenzo Ruiz is the first Filipino saint. He is also the first Filipino martyred for the Christian Faith. Lorenzo Ruiz was a layman, married, and had two sons and a daughter. Born in Binondo, Manila, ... continue reading

Sts. Cosmas and Damian were brothers, born in Arabia, who had become eminent for their skill in the science of medicine. Being Christians, they were filled with the spirit of charity and never took ... continue reading

Over the centuries, the Jesuits have been relied upon by Popes as
trustworthy, heroic soldiers for Jesus Christ and His Church. Yes, there
have been times when the company seemed to lose its fervor. However,
Jesus Christ the King has always sent His Spirit to ... continue reading